Black Steel: Vol I
by Mathis Gray
Summary: When Levy McGarden finally got her hands on the books she'd been longing for she was thrilled, but when darker forces require the knowledge held within they send their best merc to take her and the tome by force.


A calm breezed pushed its self through the open window and blew aside the light cloth drape. It crossed the room, rustling paper as it went. It's cool face clashed in to tall shelves of books and bounced about the locked dormitory. Even more parchment fluttered as a newly awoken student laid her feet on the ground. Standing, she rubbed her sleep-filled eyes and walked over to the open window. She gazed out at the night sky and sighed, she'd let the day slip away again. Studying all night and helping the scribes all day wasn't very good for her health, the young woman knew this. But that didn't stop Miss. Levy McGarden from trying her hardest to clime the ranks of her cities university. She'd been studding and working at the New Magnolia University for six years now.

From ages thirteen to eighteen she studded every class she could attended; math, history, language classes and even sciences. It didn't matter what she was learning as long as she was _learning._ Some would call it naive but the still young Levy holds true to the face that knowledge is the greatest asset available to humans. The piles of tomes and lose papers that fill her room are prof of that. Her friends have come to call it; "Magnolia's _real_ library", and the're not wrong. The small dorm holds books about sea life to geography of the norther continent; from " _100 ways to bake a cake"_ to weapons used around the world. Levy's didn't care if they wore boring or gory or even profane, reading brought her real happiness.

Many people consider her a soft spoken bookworm, but this girl fought tooth and nail though her academic life to land a comfy spot as a scribe's assassinate. Some would call her entitled, being form a fairly wealthy family, but Levy and her closest friend, Lucy Heartfilia, both got to where they are without help from family. Most would comment on her ability to recall data at a moments notice and her more the adept skill at deciphering other languages. However, only having a year of apprenticeship some still look down on the newly inducted assassinate.

Chilly, soft wind shuttered the lightly dress Levy fully awake. She yawned and stretched herself feel of the shackles of sleep, then glaceed at the cooling pile of ash that lay in her fireplace. Sighing, she closed the window and approached, scoping up a box of flint. Using her small, numbed hands she struck the flint ageists a stripe of steel. Once the fire's heart was beating normally she retired to the body warmed blankets of her bed, soon drifting back to sleep.

* * *

Sharp beating on the door jerked Levy from her slumber. Quickly, she removed her coverings and stood, then throw a long tunic over her light nightgown.

"I'm coming, one moment!" she called as she scuffled her was around stacks of books.

"I told you she was still asleep!" a voice whispered harshly from behind the door.

"On shut it, this is important" retorted a second voice.

"More important then Miss. Levy's beauty sleep?!"

"Well I mea-"

"What can I help you with?" Levy questioned as she flung open the door.

"Miss. McGarden! Good morning!" the two young men said in unison.

"And a good morning to you as well."

The tall one spook first; "How are you today, Miss. Levy?"

"I'm doing well, and yourself, Jet?"

"Good to hear, and I'm fine, thank you."

Levy turned to address the other, a much larger man; "and you, Dory?"

"As well as you, my lady" he answer softly.

"Oh what have I told you two? Just call me by my first name!"

"Yes, Miss. Levy" they recited.

"And drop the 'Mis-' oh forget it. What can I do for you?"

"The book you requested has arrived" Dory said, rubbing the back of his head.

"We took the liberty to come and let you know" finished Jet.

"Well thank you, the both of you. If you'd like to wait it'll take me just a moment to change."

"Oh course!"

As Levy walked about into the confides of her room she stole a glace out the window and seeing a light layer of snow had dusted the ground in the night she grabbed up a pair of heavy trousers. Slipping them on, she removed her gown and tucked her shirt in the waist and donned a pair of wool socks, then covered them with a set of thick leather boots. Finally, then sledder girl threw a blue coat over her shoulders and buttoned it to the neck. As she opened the door to the hall she leaned back to retrieve a yellow scarf which she wrapped about her neck.

"Let's go, boys."

"Yes, Miss. Levy."

As the three enter the cool mid-morning, the thin sheet of snow crunched underfoot. They made their way up the narrow, water-lined sheet; slightly frozen in the night. The coating of ice would be to week to hold a human so the ferrymen easily broke and pushed it aside so they could make their way up the canals. Magnolia itself was located at an intersections of many large rivers so trade was key to the city and because of the large amounts of money coming in; the Old Magnolia University was torn down and the Magnolia University was made. The school itself offers classes on a vast subjects from scribe hood to swordsmanship and even mystic arts. Many come from far lands to study in its massive halls or research within it's jaw dropping library. The faculty is know as one of the best, even if they have somewhat on an infamous reputation. It is said that the Head Master, Makarov Dreyar, is an old eccentric man who has a taste for the over the top shenanigans. Levy can agrees to this, seeing it first hand. Mr. Gildarts Clive teaches combat and student injury is more then normal. The medical and sciences classes are headed by Miss. Porlyusica who takes zero disrespect in the classroom. Levy herself studies under a man know only as Mystogan, who rarely shows up for lessons or work.

The grounds themselves are made up of five buildings, two which lay down the road from the main building. The pair hold the male and female dorms, which Levy and most students live in. Inside the main building there is the dinning hall, teacher's dorms and lecture halls. Other classrooms reside in one of the smaller buildings and the last holds the library. Behind the main building spans the athletic fields which leads to a sloping hill. The student population has grown over the years but the closeness has never changed, many who graduate become part of the teaching staff or stay near by. Levy is one of these people, joining the scribes in their research.

As she pushed with all her will to open the heavy wooden doors of the main archives, Levy waved goodbye to her companions. Shutting the door, the smell of old tomes filled her noise. Her dorm was nice but this was her real home. Warm fires always burning, as many books as she could read and good company. Even though Mystogan technically ran the scribes, everyone knew it the one man who kept them working; Freed Justine. As Levy round the corner she came upon the Elder Scribe, a rank held by the one directly under the Head Elder. He was a tall man, sledder with sharp features. Long green hair cascaded down his back and he always wore the same scowl. Face pinched with dismissive anger, but Levy knew he was a sweet man. On more then one occasion he'd make tea and leave it next to hard working scribe.

"Good morning, Elder" Levy called happily.

"And to you, Miss. McGargen," he greeted, gaze not leaving the book he was examining, "what can I help you with this morning?"

"I was told the book I requested has arrived?"

"Oh yes, the tome on necromancy. I should warn you: it is a grim read" Freed said solemnly as he returned the book back to it's place.

Levy matched his speed as they walked to his study; "I'm aware, but it's the only school of magic I have yet to research."

The towers of books rose around them as they went deeper; "some would deem it unwise to study magic, necromancy doubly so."

"I know.." Levy sighed, squeezing her hands together.

But as Freed opened his door he spook once more, a small smile warming his face; "but I am not the Head Master, I have no right to tell you want to read and what not to."

"Thank you, Elder."

Justine's room was a lot like Levy's; books lined the walls and his desk was hidden buy papers. An oil lantern fluttered as the door shut behind them and when Levy got closer to the dark wood desk she saw her book. It was covered with black lather with a spine of red, a white skull adorned the front. As Levy picked it up she found there was no title, she turned it over on her hands and ran her fingers down the rough spin. It looked old, _really_ old. The leather was faded and as she opened it dust leaped from the pages to the floor.

"How old would you say it is?"

"Well I'm not sure, it looks to be around four hundred."

She quickly flipped through the pages and found something that brought a grin to her face; it written in a language she'd never seen.

"I've never seen this before, perfect" the bookworm whispered, more to herself then to her host.

"You have always loved a change" Freed nodded.

Levy brought the book close to her chest and smiled up at him; "thank you so much, Elder. You'll be the first to know if I find anything intriguing!"

"Just make sure you get some sleep, okay Levy?"

"I'll try!" she called back as she ran out the door, "thanks again!"

Levy wondered why the sky had become so dark in the short time she'd been inside. The wind had began to blow harder and heavy bunches of snow were falling. Quickly, she stuffed the book in her bag and tightened her scarf. Normally, snow wasn't very common in Magnolia but when it snowed it _snowed._ The streets were already clotted with wet masses, so getting back home proved hard. Pushing her way though wasn't going to work so Levy took cover under an over hang and sighed.

But after a short while the squeaking of wheels and the calling over her name perked her ears. She turned to see a carriage hurdling down the road, a blond hanging from the an open door; "Hey, Levy need a ride!?"

The driver brought them to a halt.

"Lucy! I didn't think you'd be out in this weather."

"Well someone has to get Natsu home, come on; get in."

Levy did so and climbed up into the dark cabin to see a figure bent over.

"Natsu, are you alright?"

"Damn... her.." he groveled, "makin' me ride this thing."

"You'll be fine" Levy laid as she rubbed his back form a safe distance.

"So what are you doing out?" the bubbly blond asked, "I didn't think worked on Sundays."

"I don't, I was picking up this" Levy smiled, holding up her new prize.

"It looks kind of creepy" Lucy shuttered as she inspected it.

"Well it's about a type of dark magic so.."

"Dark magic?" Natsu said between heaves, "stuff makes me sick."

"Everything makes you sick, Natsu" Lucy mocked.

"No! Just when you force me into this movin' hell!"

The two ignored their suffering friend.

"So, what's it about?"

"N-necromancy" Levy stuttered.

"Raising the dead?!"

"No, I'm just the studying them, silly. I'd never do something that inhuman."

"I hope not, you wouldn't be a never scary necromancer" Lucy giggled.

As the horse drew the carriage up to the stone face of the girl's dorm Levy and Lucy hopped down into the soft snow, and laughed as Natsu feel onto the ground with a thud.

Helping him up, Levy saw her best friend whisper something in his ear, making him go red. Then they said their goodbyes and enter the building ahead of her.

Levy looked up at the sky. Soft flakes drifted down, landing on her face. She closed her eyes and focused on the cold, they burnt a little but the cooling water they became calmed her over-worked skin. Last week, she'd worked harder then she had ever worked. Filed ten reports, decoded three whole books and even reorganized the a wing of the library; by doing all this Levy hoped that she'd be able to get her new research material.

It worked.

It looked perfect on her desk, surrounded by notes and newly lite candles. After heating up a pot of tea, she sat in _her_ chair and placed the tome on her lap. She opened it to the first page to find an author's note, it was scribbled in Common tongue but was still hard to read; _"Be warned, reader, this is a correlation of notes, experiments and findings of Precht Gaebolg, or more commonly know as 'Hades'. He was a mad man who tired to bring back the long dead and I ask you to read this as a warning of what NOT to do. Who I am does not mater, just please trust me. The dead should stay dead and it is not within the realm of men to effect this."_

Levy turned the page to find the title of the book; "Hades' Findings: Volume III", those were the only things she could read. It was going to be a long night.


End file.
